New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed executive orders marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and subsequent security protocols, but the ceremony concluded with a gesture that sparked immediate political controversy. After signing the documents, Mamdani asked Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to pass the pen, which she then handed to the Mayor's chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem. Kassem is a lawyer known for representing individuals associated with al-Qaeda, including a suspect in the 9/11 hijacking plot.
What the Left Is Saying
Supporters of Mayor Mamdani and his administration have not yet issued a widespread public defense of the pen-handling sequence, but the Mayor's office framed the event as a standard administrative procedure for signing multiple companion orders. The Mayor, a self-described democratic socialist, has previously highlighted Kassem's legal work on human rights and due process issues for detainees. Proponents of the administration's approach argue that the focus should remain on the policy outcomes—official recognition of the day and enhanced security protocols—rather than the ceremonial mechanics of the signing.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative officials and critics characterized the move as intentional disrespect toward 9/11 victims and their families. Council Member Joann Ariola (R-Queens) stated that Mamdani's choice was "breathtakingly tone-deaf and disrespectful," arguing it demonstrated "where his loyalties truly lie." Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) posted on social media that the Mayor's actions were "morally bankrupt" and a "disgrace" to those who lost loved ones. Retired detective and John Jay College adjunct professor Michael Alcazar told The New York Post that the move was "calculated," noting that the ceremony was meant to honor victims, not spotlight a lawyer whose work intersects with the ideology behind the attacks. Critics argued that Commissioner Tisch was reduced to a "prop" in the process.
What the Numbers Show
Ramzi Kassem's legal background includes representation of two high-profile terrorism-related cases. He represented Mohammad Mani Ahmad al-Qahtani, who was held at Guantanamo Bay for two decades and alleged to have attempted to assist in the 9/11 hijacking; al-Qahtani was returned to Saudi Arabia in 2022. Kassem also represented Ahmed al-Darbi, an al-Qaeda terrorist who pleaded guilty in 2014 to plotting the bombing of the French oil tanker MV Limburg off the coast of Yemen. Al-Darbi was sentenced in 2017 and transferred to Saudi Arabian custody in 2018 during the first Trump administration. The event marked the 25th anniversary of the 2001 attacks.
The Bottom Line
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between Mayor Mamdani's administration and conservative critics regarding his appointments and ceremonial decisions. While the Mayor signed orders establishing an official Day of Remembrance and updating security protocols, the public reaction has shifted focus to the symbolic significance of handing the pen to Kassem. This development may influence future political discourse surrounding the Mayor's handling of sensitive national security and historical commemoration issues, particularly as he navigates his first year in office.